Absence from work and emotional stress in women undergoing IVF or ICSI: an analysis of IVF-related absence from work in women and the contribution of general and emotional factors.
OBJECTIVE
To assess productivity losses due to absence from work during in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) treatment and to describe the pattern of IVF-related absence from work. Additionally, the influence of general and psychological variables on IVF-related absence from work was analyzed.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study.


METHODS
Eight IVF hospitals participated in the study.


METHODS
Women undergoing their first treatment with IVF/ICSI.


METHODS
The Health and Labour Questionnaire (HLQ) was used to estimate the costs of IVF-related absence from work (n=384). Diaries were used to collect background information and reasons for IVF-related absence. Psychological data were derived using the Spielberger State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Beck Depression Inventory for Primary Care (BDI-PC) and the Inventory Social Relations and the Illness Cognition Questionnaire. Regression analyses were performed using two models, one without and one with psychological data, to assess the impact of the different variables on IVF-related absence from work.


METHODS
IVF-related absence from work and the costs of productivity losses due to IVF/ICSI per treatment.


RESULTS
Overall absence from work during IVF/ICSI treatment was on average 33 hours, of which 23 hours were attributed to IVF/ICSI. Costs of productivity losses due to IVF/ICSI were euro596 per woman. Significant predictors of IVF-related absence from work were the number of hours of paid work, age and self-reported physical and/or emotional problems due to IFV treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Women experiencing emotional complaints and women with physical complaints due to IVF/ICSI reported significantly more IVF-related absence from work.
Bouwmans
Clazien A M
CA
Institute for Medical Technology Assessment, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. c.bouwmans-frijters@erasmusmc.nl
Lintsen
Bea A M E
BA
Al
Maiwen
M
Verhaak
Chris M
CM
Eijkemans
René J C
RJ
Habbema
J Dik F
JD
Braat
Didi D M
DD
Hakkaart-Van Roijen
Leona
L
D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014931:Women, Working / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data